Homeopathic Materia Medica by Farrington

DULCAMARA

(dulc)

Dulcamara, or the "bitter-sweet," contains a small quantity of Solanine, a much smaller quantity in fact than any other member of the group. The tender leaves and twigs have been used for the preparation of the tincture. There have been accounts of poisoning from the berries of the Dulcamara. The symptoms thus produced are hard griping pains in the bowels followed by unconsciousness and spasms. These latter are tetanic and are accompanied by hot dry skin, trismus, loud rattling breathing, and in one case death.

The ordinary symptoms produced by the drug are not so severe. We find as the very central point around which all the other symptoms of the drug group this one: Aggravation from cold damp weather or from changes from hot to cold weather, especially if these changes are sudden. Thus we find Dulcamara useful in rheumatism made worse by sudden changes in the weather; twitching of the muscles of the eyelids or mouth whenever the weather becomes damp; dry coryza, sore-throat with stiffness of the neck, colic from cold especially with diarrhoea at night; earache when it returns with every such change in weather.

Dulcamara has a marked influence on the nervous system; but here again its use in practice is often based on the above aggravation. We have the tongue paralyzed in damp weather, with impaired speech; hypersemia of the spinal cord with the paretic state belonging to that disease when caused by lying on damp cold ground and intensified by every return of damp weather. It is also indicated in paralysis of the bladder aggravated by damp weather.

It is also of use in incipient paralysis of the lungs in old people; especially if the symptoms are aggravated by change in the weather.

Dulcamara has a specific influence on the lining membrane of the bladder, causing catarrh of that organ. The urine is very offensive and is loaded with mucus.

It also exerts a marked action on the skin. Thus it develops a bright red eruption on the surface of the body. Here and there, there will be large wheals which may be white or red, and along with these there is usually burning and itching.

It is indicated in urticaria traceable to gastric disorder when there is relief from cold air.

The complement of Dulcamara is BARYTACARB. This has aggravation in cold weather, especially in scrofulous children.